Chandigarh has a large number of renowned public and government schools. Real education starts at the school level.
India is known for its unique natural and man-made attraction spots which play a major role towards contributing to the tourist economy. Some of them which have gained worldwide fame are Taj Mahal, Red Fort, the caves and temples of south India, etc. Such a unique spot which attracts masses of people not only from the country but also globally visitors is the Rock Garden of Chandigarh.
The Rock Garden of Chandigarh is an amazing place with beautiful sculptures and amazing creativity which converts something considered as waste into works of art. It is like traversing into a different world where everything imaginable is created by human hands. And the most astonishing fact about this garden is that it was created solely by a single dedicated person before it was taken over by the government. If one is looking for a place to visit and spend a number of hours admiring the open-aired exhibition, then the Rock Garden is the place to go.
Here is a simple travel guide on various features of the Rock Garden along with locations and places to stay.
About: Among the popular tourist attractions of Chandigarh, the Rock Garden is visited by an average of five thousand people daily. The Rock Garden is a sculpture garden also known as Nek Chand's Rock Garden named after its founder. Nek Chand was a government official who began this garden as a hobby. However, it has grown to become a major tourist spot with more than 12 million visitors from the very beginning. It is one of the leading tourist attractions of the city and its immense and unique sculptures have grabbed the attention of people from all over the world.
History: The garden was built with demolished wastes and scrap materials in 1957 by Nek Chand who utilized this in his spare time to recreate a divine kingdom among the gorges of Sukhna Lake. Though it was considered illegal, Nek Chand continued to build the garden until 1975, when he was discovered and started gathering public support for the functioning of the garden. By the time the government took over the garden, it had grown to about 12 acres with sculptures and interlinking courtyards. Nek Chand was applauded for his single-handed effort and was given the honorary title of the sub-divisional engineer. He continued to take care of maintenance work in the garden.
Architecture: The most unique feature of the Rock garden is that it is completely made of waste materials, recycled industrial scraps, home scaprs and other waste. Nek Chand, along with the government's help, set up centers to collect rags and ceramics which were then used to continue building the various monuments and statues and sculptures in the garden. The Rock Garden currently stands covering an area of around forty acres. The Rock Garden is built like a maze with interlinking paths and branched off directions. Thus, one has to be careful and methodical if one wants to look at all the exhibits. One can easily lose track of the paths and can miss many displays as it branches off in two directions. One must be sure to go in through one path and come out through another.
Timings: The local visiting hours of the Rock Garden are from 9:00 am-6:00 pm with extended hours during the summer.
Location: It is located in Sector 1 between the Capitol Complex and Sukhna Lake in the district of Chandigarh.
How to Reach: Chandigarh can be reached by air or train. It can be reached easily from the airport or the railway station or by using the local bus or car.
Places to Stay: Some of the nearby places to stay will be Hotel City Plaza 7, Hotel the Bella Vista, Hotel White Palace, The Pelican, Hotel President and more.
The Rock Garden is situated in a place which is convenient to reach and it also has many surrounding local attractions like the Sukhna Lake, Botanical Gardens and others. There are also nearby places to shop and eat. So, next time you find yourself planning a trip to Chandigarh, remember to add the famous Nek Chand's Rock Garden in your places to visit list.
Last Updated on : 14/08/2013
